You finally have your hands on that shiny new set of keys and access to your very own home. An amazing feeling! And then the fear sets in. What if someone breaks in? Considering burglars strike every 21 seconds on average, it’s a good idea to do everything you can to secure your home. Here are 6 ways to make your home just that little bit less attractive to burglars.
Don’t Underestimate Burglars
First tip: never underestimate burglars. Homeowners often don’t realize just how crafty they can be. The best in the ‘business’ are intelligent, persistent, patient, and pick just the right moment to catch you off guard. Don’t think burglaries happen to other people and not you.
Signs of Movement
Burglars are smart. They don’t just find a place that looks nice and try to break in straight away. There’s an art to the madness. The process involves a little bit of scoping, a reconnaissance mission if you will. If they see that your newspapers are piling up, the lights are always off, and the curtains haven’t moved in days, they’ll think your home is ready for a ransacking.
What you want to do is set up your lights to turn on automatically at intervals. Ask your friends or family to visit your property every once in a while to make sure they unstuff your mailbox and take your newspapers inside.
Simple Habits: Keep Everything Locked
Super simple, but keep your windows and doors closed when you leave the house. Burglars look for the easy targets. If they notice a window open, you’re fair game. You are especially susceptible during daylight hours when statistics say burglaries happen most often.
Update Your Entry Points and Locks
You can have walls as thick as Fort Knox, but if your entry points are weak you won’t stand a chance against the experienced burglar. This is what you need to do:
- Invest in an auto-locking lock. Locking your door should be automatic, but it’s easy to forget. If you have a system that doesn’t at least give you one layer of protection through an automatic single-lock, you’re putting way too much on your ability to remember to lock the door every single day.
- Replace your windows. Homeowners will often invest in sturdy doors but will ignore their windows. Big mistake. Burglars will often use windows to gain access to your home, knowing they’re often ignored. They need to lock easily, be built with solid frames, and broken glass should always be replaced (even tiny cracks).
- Window bars. If you find yourself in a neighborhood with high crime rates, window bars are not a bad idea. They’re not too expensive, won’t block out the light, and there are plenty of models that are stylish.
Security System = Security Blanket
When you go on vacation, you don’t want to constantly worry about what’s happening on the home front. Modern security systems can give you a sense of control while you’re away, and they don’t have to cost the earth. For just a few hundred bucks, you can install a very dependable video security system. Of course, it may not come with all the bells and whistles, but it’ll do the job.
If you want to go ‘next level’, go for a security system that’s installed by professionals. Go for brands that are known for their hardware, software, and customer service. Smart home capability is a plus, while some brands even include smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as a bonus.
Be Careful with Social Media
We’re all obsessed with social media, especially if it involves showing off to family and friends. While you’re reveling in the likes your Instagram post is getting, burglars are feasting on what you’ve left at home.
Recent studies have shown that burglars are becoming very social media savvy indeed. They’ll look for evidence that homeowners are far away so that they can take advantage and break into your home.
Invest in a Decent Safe
If all else fails and the burglars get through your security precautions, give them one last hurdle to tackle: a safe. Most burglars want to go in and out in a matter of a couple of minutes. They’ll swipe everything that looks valuable and then they’ll make a move. Put your most valuable stuff in a safe that’s kept in a not-so-obvious place. Don’t buy the flimsy ones that you find at the lower end (you may as well keep things in a drawer!), but invest in a decent model.
Stay Vigilant
I conclude with an obvious but important tip: stay vigilant. You can buy the best gear, implement a neighborhood watch, cover all the bases, but that doesn’t mean security should take a backseat. The best lock won’t help if you forget to lock the door. And that goes for every other security measure!
